10.30.07
12:45 a.m. CDT, Oct. 30, 2007
Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
STATUS REPORT: STS-120-15
STS-120 MCC STATUS REPORT #15
HOUSTON – Astronauts Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock today install
the International Space Station’s P6 truss in its final location. A
new task was also added to this third spacewalk of the mission to
provide comparison data of the station’s two solar array rotary
joints. The spacewalk is set to begin at 3:53 a.m. CDT.
Today’s wakeup music at 11:38 p.m., “Malaguena Salerosa” by Chingon,
was played for Pilot George Zamka, who will be operating the shuttle
robotic arm.
After analyzing photos of debris found inside the station’s starboard
Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, mission managers decided Parazynski should
take time near the end of the spacewalk to inspect the port rotary
joint to provide a comparison. The joints rotate the solar arrays to
track the sun for electrical power generation. Parazynski will take
photographs and samples of any debris he finds for evaluation.
Managers today also decided to devote the mission’s fourth spacewalk
on Thursday to additional inspection of the starboard joint. That
joint has been experiencing increased friction during rotation for
the past month and a half and station managers have limited its use
while the situation is assessed.
The fourth spacewalk originally was to test a shuttle tile repair
dispensing “gun” known as the T-RAD. That test has been deferred to a
future shuttle mission.
During today’s spacewalk, Parazynski and Wheelock will work at the end
of the port truss to help station robotic arm operators attach the P6
to its new location on P5. The two will provide verbal cues to
Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Dan Tani and Mission Specialist
Stephanie Wilson as they align the truss.
Once the 17.5 ton truss is in place, Wheelock will secure it with the
mechanical capture claw so the two can install the bolts that will
permanently hold it and then attach its power source.
Next, the spacewalkers will remove thermal shrouds on P6 and configure
the P6 radiator for deployment by ground controllers. Wheelock will
also install a spare main bus switching unit on a station storage
platform.
Following the spacewalk the giant solar array wings on P6 will be
redeployed so they can begin gathering sunlight for power again.
The next STS-120 status report will be issued Tuesday afternoon or
earlier if events warrant.
-end-